Founded in 2010, New Beginnings is a Yorkshire-based charity with a clear and compassionate mission: to retrain and rehome former racehorses while ensuring their long-term welfare. Established by two founders, Kevin and Pam Atkinson, who have owned ex-racehorses themselves, the charity was born from first-hand experience of how misunderstood Thoroughbreds can be once they leave the racing industry.
“When we started out, there was the impression that many retired racehorses were viewed as difficult or unsuitable for life beyond racing”, said charity founder Pam Atkinson. “We recognised that these horses were not problematic, but simply highly trained athletes struggling to adapt to an entirely different world. Used to routine, movement, high energy nutrition and living in busy environments, many found the transition to quieter, individual homes challenging. The charity stepped-in to bridge that gap, helping both horses and owners understand one another.”
In the early days, the team noticed a recurring issue: horses would be retrained successfully, only to be returned months later with the same behavioural problems. The root cause was rarely the horse, but the mismatch between the animal’s background and the rider’s expectations, not to mention a change of diet at their new home. This reinforced New Beginnings’ belief that education – of people as much as horses – and routine, was essential.
Over time, the charity has evolved into a multifaceted organisation built around three core strands. The first, retraining: carefully preparing Thoroughbreds for life beyond racing, whether as leisure horses, competition horses, or companions. The second, rehoming, with an unwavering commitment that no horse is ever sold. Every horse remains under the charity’s lifetime care, offering reassurance to owners facing changing circumstances, illness, or hardship. If a placement doesn’t work out, the horse always has a safety net. The third strand is education, highlighting the breed’s intelligence, versatility, and gentle nature, challenging outdated perceptions and building empathy from a young age.
“Nutrition is an extremely important part of our Thoroughbreds’ journeys”, says Kevin Atkinson. “A horse that is full of feed is full of energy, so consideration needs to be made now these horses are in leisure, as they aren’t working as hard as they used to be.” Fibre-Beet from British Horse Feeds plays an important role in supporting horses as they transition from racing to a new way of life. The charity prioritises a fibre-based, low-starch feed that provides slow-release energy without exacerbating fizzy, excitable behaviour.
“We want to keep it simple, with not too much starch, so feed our horses Fibre-Beet, Lay Off cubes and Cooked Linseed. We cannot stress how important it is for new owners to maintain a consistent nutritional routine, rather than go to local feed merchant and purchase a high energy alternative. It will minimise stress, reduce the impact on existing ulcers and give each horse the best possible foundation to thrive in their new home.”
Fibre-Beet offers a highly digestible blend of fibre and unmolassed beet pulp, helping to support gut health, maintain condition and encourage calmness. Its versatility also allows it to be fed very wet, which aids hydration and digestion and makes it an ideal base for adding supplements or medication when required.
New Beginnings operates nationwide, with horses placed across England, Scotland, and Wales, always with careful consideration of the environment and the individual horse’s needs. The team personally delivers each horse to its new home, bringing familiar food to ease the transition and ensuring the yard is suitable – a level of care that significantly improves long-term success.
Racing Name: Goldream
Stable Name: Remy
Trained By: Robert Cowell
Earnings: £592,385
Came to New Beginnings: 4th February 2022
As a specialist five-furlong sprinter, Remy had 53 starts, in which he secured 7 wins, 7 seconds and 11 thirds, including prestigious victories in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp and the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2015.
After retiring from racing, Remy’s first post-racing role was at the British Racing School in Newmarket, where he was intended to help train future jockeys. However, his spirited racing nature made this transition challenging, and he soon found a more fitting future at New Beginnings.
Remy has been carefully retrained as a riding horse, thriving in a structured environment that allowed him to build confidence beyond the racetrack. His remarkable adaptability and calm demeanour have quickly made him an outstanding candidate for an ambassador role and when York Racecourse asked for their first ever equine ambassador, Remy was the charity’s first choice.
Remy regularly attends race meetings, standing quietly as spectators meet and greet him, and has visited schools and hospices, including St Leonard’s Hospice in York, where his gentle presence has brought comfort and joy to patients, families and staff.
He exemplifies the versatility and resilience of retired racehorses. From elite sprinting to therapeutic outreach and dressage success, he highlights how with the right retraining, support, andopportunities, former athletes can flourish in entirely new roles – helping others as much as they have been helped themselves.
